Delayed management of acute type A aortic dissection with concomitant coronary artery bypass graft

Pre-operative coronary angiography and concomitant, planned coronary artery bypass are infrequently performed with type A aortic dissection repair. We present a case in which pre-operative coronary computed tomography angiography was appropriate, and subsequent dissection repair and concomitant coronary artery bypass were successfully performed.

The patient is a 58-year-old male with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, renal insufficiency, hypertension, obesity, and smoking history, who presented with a three-to-four-day history of persistent back pain, worsening exertional dyspnea, and orthopnea, as well as a two-to-three month history of dyspnea, lower extremity edema, and intermittent angina. He was diagnosed with an acute type A aortic dissection and anti-impulse control was initiated. However, repair was delayed in order to allow apixaban to metabolize and decrease the risk of bleeding, as the patient was approximately six days post-dissection, without malperfusion, with a well-controlled blood pressure on anti-impulse therapy, and had received five days of anticoagulation. During this time, coronary computed tomography angiography was performed to assess the need for concomitant revascularization and showed coronary artery disease. Ascending aorta hemiarch replacement with aortic valve resuspension, two-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting, and left atrial appendage clipping were performed successfully.

Pre-operative imaging can be considered in a select group of acute type A aortic dissections that present without malperfusion, and with well-controlled blood pressure on anti-impulse/negative inotropic therapy.